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Good day to you. Welcome to Barbora Strycova v Johanna Konta (19)!

B. Strýcová vs J. Konta | Wimbledon
Women's Singles | Quarter-final | 09.07.2019 | Centre Court
Completed
B. Strýcová
77
6

J. Konta (19)
65
1
Live
Live Updates
Kevin Coulson

Updated 09/07/2019 at 16:35 GMT


17:35
So that's our singles done - stick with me for Murray and Williams in the mixed.
17:32
Konta will be so disappointed with that. She won't have taken Strycova lightly, but beat her to reach the semi? If you'd offered her that at the start of the fortnight, she'd've took it. It's weird because of how she came from behind to beat Stephens and Kvitova, looking like a possible champion, only to freeze when Strycova put her under. She'll be back. but that's gonna sting for a while.
17:30
Strycova says her being in the semi sounds crazy, and that her voice is even shaking. She still has doubles to go too, and said she felt she was playing well but Konta was striking the ball well and hard. She tried to mix things up, says that this is one of the best matches she's ever played, and enjoyed her first match on Centre Court. She says it's a great week to play Serena and can't wait for Thursday.
17:28
What a win that is from Strycova. In the biggest match of her life, she found her a-game and knocked her opponent - one of the form players in the world - right off her rhythm. Strycova made just nine unforced errors in the match, and will now play Serena Williams on Thursday.
17:25
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Strycova 7-6(5) 6-1 Konta
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This ought not to be easy for Strycova, and Konta rushes to 0-30. But a lovely volley - double-handed, backhand - brings Strycova closer, and then Konta is long with her return. Two more points and this is done! One more point! Konta slices a backhand, but with so little care, and again it floats long! AND KONTA GOES LONG AGAIN! BARBORA STRYCOVA, AGED 33, MAKES HER FIRST GRAND SLAM SEMI-FINAL!
17:17
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Strycova 7-6(5) 5-1 Konta
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A fourth ace of the match gives Konta 40-0 before she again errs on the forehand - she doesn't follow through properly, a sure sign of a person unrelaxed. And, well, oh dear - another forehand drops long such that even if Konta holds, she'll not feel like she's back. In the meantime, a hella chance is slipping away, and Strycova bashes a forehand down the line then slam-dunks the response. At deuce, though, Strycova makes a rare unforced error, going long, but she responds with another winner, chasing down a drop to pass. Gosh. Konta is hating every second of this, going long on the forehand yet again, and Strycova has a chance to pass but plays safe and Konta hits a fine volley to save herself. But seconds later she's break point down again and this time, when tested with a looper, instead of letting it down she thrashes wildly and it flies long! That was awful - Konta has frozen under pressure here - but right about now, Strycova will serve for the semi!
17:11
Strycova 7-6(5) 4-1 Konta
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Konta plays an aggressive point first up, but then another double-handed drop, followed by a feathered lob, has Konta wondering what on earth is going on. Konta then goes long with a forehand, chastising herself with shouting and gesticulation, but a forehand sends Strycova sprawling and slipping; she cleans up with a backhand. Yeah, and then she nets a backhand; Strycova is in control here ... then tightens and double faults! But Strycova isn't feeling sorry for herself, belting a backhand cross-court which flicks the net cord - she waves her sincerest apologies as she runs off for a sit-down. It's not nice to say, but as soon as Strycova stooped doing what Konta wanted her to do, Konta hasn't been able to cope.
17:08
Strycova 7-6(5) 3-1 Konta
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She'd take any hold, but Konta could really use a solid one so she's fortified to raise the pressure. At 15-all, she drives a forehand winner - the kind of shot she was hitting at will in the early stages - then at 40-15 she finds an ace, her second of the match.
17:05
Strycova 7-6(5) 3-0 Konta
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Konta was a set and a break down against Stephens and a set down against Kvitova, but she knew what to expect against them. Here, less so, though it'd be remiss not to note how well Strycova is playing. At 30-15, she bombs a serve down the middle and Konta nets the return, then sticks a backhand into a similar spot. Strycova consolidates.
17:03
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Strycova 7-6(5) 2-0 Konta
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Konta is edgy and at 0-30, Strycova takes a forehand on the volley ... in the forehand corner of the court! She hits a winner, and Konta is in all sorts. A backhand down the line, nice and low, saves one break point, but another, set cross-court, flies just out. Konta was 4-1 up, but is now struggling to stay in this.
16:57
Strycova 7-6(5) 1-0 Konta
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Konta ups it immediately, but at 15-30 Strycova finds an ace, then a serve out wide and a wrongfooting clean-up forehand. Konta then dominates the next point, but plays a drop that bounces up too high - she had no need to do that, but perhaps was worrying about a forehand that's been under attack. Anyway, Strycova runs in to finish.
16:52
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Strycova 7-6(5) Konta
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A lush backhand, whipped cross-court , gives Konta 5-4, but Strycova sneaks into the net to administer a delicate stop-volley winner. She wins the next point too, then steals to the net again and puts away a backhand volley! I'm not entirely sure how it's happened - well I am, 22 unforced errors versus six - but Strycova has filched that set! Well done her! Her slice has performed extremely well, and she's attacked Konta's forehand really well too, taking the pace off the ball wherever possible to play the game at her pace, not Konta's.
16:46
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Strycova 6-6 (3-3) Konta
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Immediately, Strycova takes the mini-break and consolidates, but two big forehands from Konta, both run around - snatch it back. Only for Konta to net a forehand when the ball's belted at her .. and quickly redeem herself again
16:42
Strycova 6-6 Konta
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Strycova is holding really well now, and eases to a tiebreak. Konta had best beware her forehand return.
16:40
Strycova 5-6 Konta
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Konta looked so assured at the start of this set but not so now. Perhaps the forehand that wins her the game - whizzed low across the net and just inside the sideline - will restore some confidence.
16:35
Strycova 5-5 Konta
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Strycova holds easily and I'd sort of fancy her in a breaker because she's playing with more confidence than Konta.
16:30
Strycova 4-5 Konta
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A glorious double-handed backhand slice drop sounds like a very tasty drink, but is the shot Strycova plays for 30-all, and when Konta makes yet another forehand error, she has break point! What a turnaround! Konta, though, does well to save it with a drop of her own - in the process, we learn that she's won more points on her second serve than her first - and she hangs on to hold.
16:24
Strycova 4-4 Konta
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Suddenly, Strycova has climbed into the match, first attackng Konta's serve and now attacking her forehand. She holds to 30, her level improved while Konta's has dropped, and as McEnroe implies in commentary, this set should probably be over. but Konta couldn't find that second break and now look.
16:19
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Strycova 3-4 Konta
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Konta looks calm in the game but then at 30-all swipes a forehand wide and pushes a backhand long! I did not see that one coming, but there you go. In the meantime, we learn that Konta likes Killing Eve, which she's watching after her matches - I'm hoping she sees Villanelle as an inspiration, spiritually and sartorially.
16:15
Strycova 2-4 Konta
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Konta is playing with such control, setting things up with her slice backhand, then knocking them down with her topspin forehand. But Strycova finds a big serve at 30-all, and two stretch-volleys seal the game.